Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly specific performance profile for Lockdown Protocol. The recorded data shows a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics processor, with the CPU demonstrating substantial headroom in every tested scenario. This combination is firmly positioned at the lower end of the database's tested configurations, ranking 3302 out of 3714 combos. The practical takeaway from the measurements is that this PC can deliver a playable experience only at lower resolutions and with reduced graphical settings, as the GPU consistently becomes the limiting factor before the CPU's capabilities are fully utilized. The data indicates that while the processor is capable of handling the game's computational demands, the graphics solution struggles to maintain fluid frame rates at higher settings, making it essential for users to prioritize graphical compromises over resolution to achieve a playable experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The recorded benchmark scores place the Intel Core i5-11400F in a specific performance tier that can be understood by examining its nearest rivals in the database. The CPU's average benchmark score of 17177 places it within a very tight cluster of processors. The AMD EPYC 7H12, with an average score of 17120, is only 0.3% behind the i5-11400F, indicating that these two processors deliver nearly identical aggregate performance in the database's testing suite. Similarly, the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U sits 0.6% ahead with a score of 17074, a negligible difference in real-world terms. On the other side, the Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239, which is 0.4% higher, and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G scores 17278, 0.6% higher. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning that for Lockdown Protocol, any of these CPUs would provide a virtually indistinguishable level of processor performance. The 71st percentile ranking across all CPUs also confirms that this processor is not the bottleneck in this system; it is a mid-to-upper-tier part by historical standards, though the GPU holds the system back.

For the graphics side, the Intel Arc B390's performance is drastically lower, and its nearest rivals illustrate just how modest its capabilities are. With an average benchmark score of 1482, the Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it outperforms only a small fraction of the graphics cards in the database. Its closest competitors are all NVIDIA parts from a much older era. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% lower, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% lower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% lower. The differences among these GPUs are extremely small, all within a 2.7% range, meaning that a user moving from any of those older NVIDIA cards to the Arc B390 would see a performance improvement of only a few percentage points in synthetic benchmarks. In the context of Lockdown Protocol, this GPU is the definitive weak link. The data shows that the CPU is more than adequate, but the GPU's performance level is comparable to graphics solutions that are typically found in very old or low-end systems, which directly impacts the achievable frame rates in this FPS title.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol reveal a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-11400F and the Intel Arc B390, with the GPU playing the dominant role in determining frame rates across all tested resolutions and presets. The evidence for this is found in the scaling patterns. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate drops from 88 FPS at Low settings to 63 FPS at Medium, then to 55 FPS at High, and finally to 41 FPS at Ultra. This represents a 53% reduction in performance from the lowest to the highest preset. This steep decline is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, where each increase in graphical fidelity adds a significant load to the graphics processor, while the CPU has ample headroom to handle the game's logic and draw calls without becoming a constraint.

The same pattern is even more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 2560x1440, the average frame rate falls from 65 FPS at Low to 46 FPS at Medium, then 40 FPS at High, and 30 FPS at Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra here is 54%, similar to the 1080p scaling, which shows that the GPU is consistently the limiting factor regardless of resolution. At 3840x2160, the situation becomes critical: the average frame rate is 42 FPS at Low, 30 FPS at Medium, 26 FPS at High, and a mere 19 FPS at Ultra. The performance degradation from Low to Ultra is 55%, and even at the lowest settings, the frame rate fails to reach the 60 FPS threshold. This is a strong indication that the GPU's compute and memory resources are simply insufficient for 4K gaming in this title, and the CPU's role becomes even less relevant as the resolution increases, since the graphics workload grows faster than the CPU's workload.

The CPU's role is further clarified by the fact that the i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a PassMark single-thread score of 2981, place it well above the level needed for most modern games. In Lockdown Protocol, an FPS title, the CPU is responsible for game logic, physics, and AI, but the measured frame rates show that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU has the least amount of graphics work to wait on, the frame rate is 88 FPS. This is not a CPU-limited result; it is a GPU-limited one. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would plateau at a similar level regardless of the graphics preset, but the data shows a consistent decline with higher settings. Therefore, the conclusion is unambiguous: for this game, the GPU is the component that matters most at every resolution, and any attempt to improve performance must focus on the graphics solution. The CPU is not the constraint, and its performance is more than sufficient to support the frame rates that the Arc B390 can deliver.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum playable resolution and settings for this PC in Lockdown Protocol?

A: Based on the recorded data, the maximum playable resolution is 2560x1440 with Low settings, achieving an average frame rate of 65 FPS. At 1920x1080, Medium settings are also playable with an average of 63 FPS. At 3840x2160, no settings level reaches the 60 FPS threshold, with the highest average being 42 FPS at Low settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-11400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7H12 (score 17120), 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (score 17074), 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-12450H (score 17239), and 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (score 17278). These differences are all within one percentage point, indicating near-identical aggregate performance.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 a strong performer compared to other GPUs in the database?

A: No, the data indicates it is a very weak performer. The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, 1.3% lower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, 2.7% lower), both of which are older, low-end parts.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so much when increasing settings from Low to Ultra?

A: The frame rate drops are substantial at every resolution. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate falls from 88 FPS at Low to 41 FPS at Ultra, a 53% reduction. At 2560x1440, it falls from 65 FPS to 30 FPS, a 54% reduction. At 3840x2160, it falls from 42 FPS to 19 FPS, a 55% reduction. This steep scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as each graphics preset increase adds a significant load to the graphics processor.

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: No, the recorded data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 42 FPS, achieved at Low settings. Medium, High, and Ultra settings produce averages of 30 FPS, 26 FPS, and 19 FPS respectively. None of these reach the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does this specific CPU and GPU combination rank among all tested combos for this game?

A: This combination ranks 3302 out of 3714 total combos in the database for Lockdown Protocol. This places it in the lower tier of tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU's low percentile ranking and the limited playable settings found in the measurements.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall ranking of this combination in the database for Lockdown Protocol is a critical indicator of its standing among all tested systems. With a rank of 3302 out of 3714 total combos, this PC falls into the bottom 11% of all tested configurations. This is a very low position, and it reflects the fundamental imbalance of this pairing. The CPU, which ranks in the 71st percentile of all processors, is a competent part that would normally be found in a mid-range gaming system. However, the GPU, which ranks in the 9th percentile of all graphics cards, drags the entire system down to a level where it can only handle the lightest graphical loads. The rank of 3302 is a direct consequence of this GPU limitation, as the database's measurements show that the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings, and it fails entirely at 4K resolution.

The rank also provides context for what users can expect from this system relative to other potential builds. A rank in the 3300s means that there are thousands of other combinations in the database that perform better in this game. This is not a system that will offer a high-quality gaming experience at standard desktop resolutions with high detail. The data shows that at 1920x1080, which is the most common gaming resolution, the system can only maintain a 60 FPS average at Medium settings, and even then, the minimum frame rate is 53 FPS, which could result in occasional stutters. At 2560x1440, only Low settings are playable, and at 4K, there is no playable configuration. The low rank is a clear warning to users that this is a very entry-level gaming setup for a modern FPS title, and it should be considered only for users who are willing to sacrifice visual quality for a smooth frame rate at lower resolutions.

The fact that the data is measured, rather than estimated, reinforces the credibility of this rank. The measured frame rates show a consistent pattern of GPU-bound performance, and the rank of 3302 is a quantitative summary of that pattern. It is not a matter of a few frames here or there; the system is clearly outclassed by the majority of tested hardware. For the purposes of comparison, the CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7H12 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U, have nearly identical CPU performance, but when paired with a better GPU, those combinations would rank significantly higher. This rank is thus a reflection of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's. Users looking at this data should understand that upgrading the GPU would be the single most effective change to improve this system's ranking and playability in Lockdown Protocol.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Lockdown Protocol has a nuanced answer based on the resolution and settings, but the overall verdict is that it is only partially capable. The data clearly shows that the system is not capable of delivering a 60 FPS experience at 3840x2160 under any settings. The best-case scenario at 4K is 42 FPS at Low settings, which falls well short of the playable threshold. At 2560x1440, the system can achieve a playable experience, but only at Low settings, where it averages 65 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold, but it comes with significant visual compromises, as Low settings typically disable many graphical features such as shadows, textures, and anti-aliasing. At 1920x1080, the system has more options, with both Low and Medium settings clearing the 60 FPS mark. The Medium preset averages 63 FPS, which is a more acceptable balance of visual quality and performance, though the minimum frame rate of 53 FPS indicates that there may be occasional dips below the target.

The verdict by resolution is explicit in the data. For 3840x2160, the list of playable settings is empty, meaning no preset achieves an average of 60 FPS or higher. The best settings are listed as null, with no average frame rate at best, confirming that 4K gaming is not viable with this hardware. For 2560x1440, the playable settings include only Low, and the best settings are also Low, with an average frame rate of 65 FPS. This is a clear, albeit limited, playable configuration. For 1920x1080, the playable settings include Low and Medium, with Medium being the best settings, achieving an average of 63 FPS. This is the most favorable resolution for this system, as it offers the user a choice between the higher frame rate of 88 FPS at Low and the better visual quality of 63 FPS at Medium.

In summary, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but only under specific conditions. It is a playable system for users who are willing to play at 1080p or 1440p with reduced settings, but it is not suitable for 4K gaming or for high-detail gaming at any resolution. The data does not support any claim that this system can handle Ultra settings, as the highest average frame rate at Ultra is 41 FPS at 1080p, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict is that this is a budget-oriented system that can provide a functional, if not visually impressive, gaming experience in Lockdown Protocol, and users should set their expectations accordingly based on the measured performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured data provides clear guidance on the best settings for each resolution, defined as the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, there is no such preset, as even the lowest settings fail to reach the threshold. The highest average frame rate at this resolution is 42 FPS at Low settings, which is 18 FPS short of the target. Therefore, no settings are recommended for 4K, as none can provide a playable experience.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves slightly. The data shows that Low settings achieve an average of 65 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra settings produce averages of 46 FPS, 40 FPS, and 30 FPS respectively, all of which are below the threshold. Therefore, the best settings for this resolution are Low, with an average frame rate of 65 FPS. This is the only playable configuration at 1440p, and users should accept the visual limitations of Low settings to maintain a smooth experience.

At 1920x1080, the system offers more flexibility. Low settings achieve an average of 88 FPS, Medium settings achieve an average of 63 FPS, and High settings achieve an average of 55 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 41 FPS. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 63 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for users who want the best balance of visual quality and performance. The minimum frame rate for Medium settings is 53 FPS, which suggests that there may be brief dips below the 60 FPS mark, but the average remains above the threshold. For users who prioritize a consistently high frame rate, Low settings at 88 FPS would be the better choice, but the best settings designation belongs to Medium, as it is the highest quality preset that still meets the playability criterion. In summary, the best settings per resolution are: none for 3840x2160, Low for 2560x1440 with an average of 65 FPS, and Medium for 1920x1080 with an average of 63 FPS.